Chapter 11: Chapter 11

Liora's POV

“I literally just left home. What do you mean she asked you to train me?” I said, half annoyed, and half curious.

Annoyed, because I wouldn't put it past her.

And curious, because, how was he even planning to train me?

Also, let's state the obvious.

Why would my mother make my rival train me?

“Why would you even agree to that?” I asked and he scoffed.

“I didn't. But there's no refusing the queen now, is there?” he said, sarcasm lacing his tone.

I knew exactly what he meant. I had never met a more strong willed and stubborn person. My mother did and got whatever it was that she wanted. No matter what.

I sighed in defeat as he landed close to the cave.

I followed suit, landing right behind him.

He turned to face me.

“Do you know your new powers yet?” He asked.

“No,” I said, as I shook my head.

He sighed, before humming.

“Can you separate your emotions from hers yet?” he asked and I bit my lips nervously.

I didn't know whether I could talk about my drakyn’s gender or not.

“Vyrmoth?” I called out for him.

“It’s up to you. There's no rule that goes against it.” he explained.

“But are you fine with it?” I asked.

I had to. I didn't want to get scorched by an angry drakyn.

“Yes, little one” he said and I ignored the annoying nickname that was slowly starting to stick.

“Liora?” Kysen called, confusion evident in his voice.

“Yes?” I answered and he stared at me weirdly, before I realized I didn't answer his question.

“Oh! Uh, no, I can't do that yet. And my drakyn is male” I watched as his face morphed from confusion to shock.

“Your drakyn is male?!” He asked and I nodded.

He frowned.

“That's odd,” he noted, “I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing”

I shrugged.

“Oh well. In the words of a specific wise person, ‘Because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it can't happen and it doesn't mean it hasn't ever happened’” I said, quoting Vyrmoth word for word.

Kysen raised a brow, “I mean, that's true, but still, it's so shocking”

I shrugged nonchalantly, in contrast to the sudden feeling of a wave of pride in my veins.

“This is probably going to make this training harder than normal, but we'll get through it. First off, I think we need to inform the elders. Especially because they might have information about a similar past occurrence.” Kysen suggested.

“Does the queen know yet?” he asked and I shook my head.

“She should. You should tell her before she finds out herself” he said but I scoffed.

“I don't really care how she finds out. Let's focus on the task at hand” I said and he hesitated, clearly contemplating what to say.

Eventually, he gave up.

“What are your fae gifts?” he asked and I froze for a second.

“Do you really need to know that?” I asked and he shrugged.

“I do. If you decide not to tell me, then it would be hard for me to help you” he said and I slowly felt myself getting overwhelmed.

I didn't like talking about my powers.

Only my mother and Caelum knew about them and my mother wanted to keep it that way.

She said it was too embarrassing to be attached to the family.

I took a step back.

“I'd have to think about it” I said and I could almost see the wheels turning in his head.

“If we're going to do this, you're going to have to learn to trust me, Altharos.” he said.

“How am I supposed to suddenly start trusting you? For Green's sake, we don't even like each other! Before recent events, we hated the very sight of each other, and now, I'm suddenly supposed to trust you? You should want me off the face of Mythgaard, you should be praying that I die!” I ranted, letting out barely a fraction of my frustration.

“Don't say that!” He half yelled, shutting me right up.

I was taken aback, obviously.

He sighed.

“That's not fair, don't talk about dying so easily. I don't want that, I never said I did. You've always been the one to assume that”

“Because we're rivals, enemies even. Our families literally hate each other and we're the two that should hate each other the most. You know -”

“Do you hate me?” He asked, cutting me right off, and I blinked blankly.

I almost scoffed out of habit.

Did I hate him?

“I-”

“No, no. Don't do that. Just take a minute to actually think about it. Do you hate me?” He asked, cutting me off again.

I don't think I had ever thought about it. Like really thought about it.

Hate is… a really strong word. Did he annoy me? Yes.

But did I actually hate him?

Enough to die?

No. The answer was as clear as day.

But I didn't know what to say. I didn't really want to admit it.

I guess I didn't have to say anything. I was an open book and he knew it.

He read me so easily.

“See. You don't. And I don't hate you either,” a slight chuckle escaped his lips, before he continued, “Far from that.”

“We're not our families, Liora. We don't have to hate each other. It's such torture. And it's very unnecessary” he said.

I tilted my head to the side slightly as my hands fell to my side.

“I'm so darn tired of the whole drama, and constantly pretending to hate you, when I don't. And I know you are as well. So, let's call it quits now, yeah?” He tried to reason with me.

He had me hooked already, but I was still hesitant.

I stared at my feet in thought.

He was right, I didn't hate him and I was definitely tired of all these as well.

And yes, he never said he hated me. Never said the words.

But still, what if this was a ploy?

To make me trust him and then-

“And then what?” Vyrmoth cut in, sending a ripple of that now familiar pain through my head.

I winced, before reaching for the sides of my head.

“You think the man that cried and begged for me to save you somehow wants you dead?”

He did what now?

No way.

Vyrmoth went back to ignoring me, as usual.

“Are you okay?” Kysen asked, as he moved closer to me.

I looked at him as the pain subsided, and I stared at him in thought.

He cried?

I didn't think I had ever seen Kysen die.

Not even when his mother died.

But then again, I didn't live with him.

But still, he wasn't an easy man to break.

Besides, why would he cry for me?

Granted, we didn't actually hate each other, but it wasn't like we were best buddies or something.

“Liora?” he called my name, as he grabbed my arms.

I blinked, knocking myself out of my thoughts.

My eyes met his and I saw it. Clear as day.

The panic and worry that had set in his system because he thought something was wrong with me.

And at that very moment, I just knew it.

I knew that I could trust him.

With my life, at least.

Because for some reason, he didn't want me dead.

“I'm fine,” I muttered, as I dropped my hands to my side.

He sighed in relief.

“What happened?” He asked and I shook my head.

“Nothing”

I needed to think about everything. It was too overwhelming.

“I need to think this through” I said and he nodded in understanding.

“Let's talk later” I said, waiting for his quiet nod, before turning around and propelling myself into the air, as I made my way back home.